In 2007, soon after the entered into force of the Kyoto Protocol, Italy launched the PSIDS Partnership on climate change mitigation and renewable energy diffusion and deployment. The Partnership comprises all the 14 PSIDS, Italy, Austria, Luxembourg, Spain and IUCN. It now addresses climate change adaptation including, in this context, conservation and management of natural resources.
In the last two years, the Partnership has increased its focus on healthy and resilient oceans who are bearing the negative consequences of climate change and have their ecosystem services increasingly threatened. Projects recently launched include: (i) fellowships and capacity building programs; (ii) actions that support progress on a resilient and sustainable ocean-based economy; (iii) support to the Palau Nationwide Marine Sanctuary.
Within the PSIDS partnership, Italy acknowledged the role the oceans play for sustainable development and intends to increase, upon request, its support in two sectors: (i) marine protected areas and (ii) resilient and sustainable ocean-based economy in the context of adaptation to climate change. To this end, Italy has committed to provide, upon request, 2.5 USD millions in the next two years (2017-2018) and is ready to consider additional resources, upon request, in the context of the partnership.
The partnership has approved more than 55 projects for a total budget of nearly 25 million USD. Financial support modalities include both direct financial support to requesting Governments and indirect financial support through IUCN as implementing agency.
Through the direct financial support modality the partnership is:
- supporting more than 10,000 people;
- granting more than 8000 people access to energy through 58 solar installation (20 boarding schools, 12 fish centers, 6 farms and 20 villages);
- installing almost 2 MW of solar power, saving annually more than 1200 tCO2 emissions by phasing out conventional fuels;
- providing access to water to 1830 people through the installment of more than 300 tanks and solar irrigation systems;
- implementing ecosystem conservation through different area-based measures on 1.729.000 km square of the Pacific Ocean surface.

Progress reports

December 2017

Strengthen support to 3 Marine Protected Areas in PSIDS area and cooperate in spatial planning activities

December 2017

Increase the number of local communities artisanal fishers benefiting from access to renewable energy